Man pleads not guilty after allegedly having sex with teenager
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IDAHO FALLS – A local man pleaded not guilty to rape after reportedly sneaking into a house multiple times to have sex with a teenager.
Coltin James Hawley, 20, was charged with felony rape of a 16-year-old victim on Nov. 9.
In August, relatives of the victim reported the alleged rape to the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office.
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When deputies met with the relatives, they explained Hawley had been sexting their 16-year-old relative, according to court documents.
Deputies learned Hawley and the victim had known each other since she was 13 and Hawley was 17. Court documents say they began sending each other naked photos around this time.
Relatives say they found Hawley and the victim in a car together in June. The relatives also discovered explicit “sexual text messages” between Hawley and the victim.
The relatives contacted Hawley and said they would call the police about the incidents. Hawley reportedly said he was sorry and would stop.
After contacting authorities, the relatives provided deputies with the sexually explicit text messages.
When interviewed by deputies, the victim initially denied having sex with Hawley or exchanging nude photos. The victim later admitted that Hawley first had sex with her a few months before her 16th birthday. She also said there had been some sexual contact with Hawley when she was as young as 13.
Deputies were told Hawley would sneak into the victim’s bedroom at night and the victim said cameras may have caught him approaching the house.
Deputies later found Hawley at his home, where they asked him about having sex with the victim. He initially denied it, but later admitted to police that he had been involved with the teenager.
Hawley also reportedly admitted to “sharing nudes” with the victim. He said he deleted everything from his phone and the last time he had sex with the victim was a month and a half prior.
Hawley was arrested on Nov. 9 and booked into the Bonneville County Jail on $10,000 bond.
A no-contact order was issued for the victim. Hawley was released from jail and sent to pre-trial supervision on Nov. 23.
A jury trial is scheduled to begin on Feb. 6.
Though Hawley has been charged with these crimes, it does not necessarily mean he committed them. Everyone is presumed innocent until they are proven guilty.
If convicted, Hawley could face between one year and life in prison.